Wow Power Waving To the World from Torrington's wowforum.org Fri. 10/5/18

Applause, applause for the wonderful gathering of the planning committee of the Wow Forum, headed by Lisa Ferris and Melissa Root with 22 others from businesses, including the head of the Chamber, Joanne Ryan. What a rich experience for the hundred or more in attendance hearing accomplished presenters!

Congratulations to all of the extraordinary women and a few fellas who found their way to the annual Wow Forum,  www.wowforum.org, run by the Northwest  Connecticut's Chamber Of Commerce on this fabulous Friday, October 5th, 2018.

It's a great start to a promising month. The presenters included KJ Johansen as emcee with many colorful outfits (from Rosie the Riveter to Julia Childs) introducing LIsa Bresson (skydiver and author, see Big Questions for Young Minds: Extending Children's Thinking).

 Jamie Pleva-Nickerson (The Young Survival Coalition, YSC) and breast cancer survivor with a story that moved many of us to tears. She was a delight to meet even through the harsh challenges she and her sister faced with the support of their devoted family, particularly her parents! What angels in that family...even if they did 'wine a little.'

. It could give every family pause to realize the devotion and care loved ones can provide, and ideally would find help if conflict and difficulty dominates a family or other social circle. Some mediums and religious and other humanists say the whole point of life is to learn to be decent and ideally caring and compassionate beings.

How come we don't have more help centers to promote and support such endeavors? I did meet someone from the Opiate Intervention Coalition and she had a compassionate informed sense about her work.

  YSC has raised 200K over 10 years through  the annual YSC Tour de Pink, a 220-mile bike ride. Sarah Lashever co-authored Women Don't Ask: The High Cost of Avoiding Negotiation and Positive Strategies for Change as well as Ask for It! How Women Can Use the Power of Negotiation to Get What They Really Want.

She recommended books Getting to Yes as well as Getting to No (basics used in mediation circles.) We also heard inspiring talks from  Lesley Jane Seymour who touted the value of joining The Covey Club she runs after being an editor at Vogue and other top notch fashion magazines such as YM, Marie Claire and Bazaar. It was her 'off the wall' idea to have First Lady Michelle Obama edit a magazine issue..which then went on to sell 8 million copies worldwide (if I recall those juicy numbers...)

She shared that many young writers don't get the help she and her generation did which was central to her honing her writing skills. She was all about having grit (as were most of the speakers) as well as talent, and being ready to Reinvent Yourself! (or maybe Invent Yourself for the first time... but do so with support!)

Silvia Baldini added a European flavor since she is Italian and grew up in the mountains cooking before  happily coming to California at age 17 and then to New York. She used the analogy of using what life hands you and what you have as talents, skills and supports and even hardships or heart breaks as the ingredients to use in making the recipe of your life reflect your bigger dream.

Finally Sarah Calhoun, owner of Red Pants and recipient of awards as a young business woman, has put White Sulphur Springs Montana on the map in part due to the annual Music Festival she runs (with tons of volunteers) which drew 18,000 this past July. Let's plan a road trip (and see some other sites along the way or get there early and help out our ambassador Calhoun from Cornwall CT with her big dreams as she inpires us to Dream Big, Walk with Integrity, and Be Nice!

The conference was held at the Nancy Marine Studio Theatre and lobby area which also hosted many raffles and some other amazing folks such as Jeanne Street who was there in person.  She has a regular radio call-in show (which is archived as well) and can be found along with her books and booking options at jeannestreet.com

There were also about 30 lovely donated items such as gift baskets that were raffled there as well as another dozen of higher priced offers...everything from organizing with Karen Simko of Litchfield CT to skydiving, a trip to Greece (I know it sound like the price is right, but you actually had to bid on those items..) In case that's Your Thang... Join in the Falls Village DM Hunt Library Auction and Silent Auction October 13th, 2018 at Center on Main (smack dab in Falls Village CT.)

Maybe you have something special..item or service to donate to such a program so keep that in mind. It'd be fun to know what those brought in and I mentioned that there is a website to post such things online so more people can bid on higher priced items. The Brooklyn Waldorf School in NY does that. Closer to the MA/NY CT tri-corner area, the Rudolf Steiner School is a great venue for nice silent auctions and lots of magical crafts. See the dolls on Bella Luna too. They make great gifts for babies and kids to have a nice doll to connect with made from cloth. But I digress (surprise, surprise... ). Let's get back to Wow now...

Here's to seeing more folks there in the future and finding ways to join circles for ongoing or shorter times of support, networking, caring, and inspiration! All the best and I'd say 'we all passed the test' of showing up and gaining wisdom. High fives to all who joined in the #Way-CoolWowForum2018!